Panel & Discussion to Include:*Jack Lessenberry: Detroit Metro Times editorialist.*Bill Goodman: Former Legal Director of Center for Constitutional Rights, local Detroit NLG attorney.*JoAnn Watson: Detroit City Council Member.*Maureen Taylor: State Chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization.*Malik Rahim: Co-founder Common Ground, New Orleans; Green Party Candidate for NO City Council in 2002; former Black Panther Party member.*Ann Wright: U.S. Army Colonel and diplomat who resigned in protest the day before the war began.*Ray McGovern: Former CIA analyst who prepared the President's Daily Brief and chaired National Intelligence Estimates; Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity member.*Debra Sweet: National Coordinator, World Can't Wait! Drive Out the Bush Regime!.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Curt Guyette gives us a flavor of the film 'The Water Front', the work of Montreal filmmaker Liz Miller on the efforts of the citizens of Highland Park to maintain access to and control of their municipal water supply. With all the coverage of the city/suburban fight over Detroit's water system, this story doesn't get anywhere near the attention it deserves.

One viewer of the recent showing in Highland Park described the film as 'even better than Thirst'.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Benton Harbor leader remains under house arrest until judge decides conditions of sentence

By Abayomi Azikiwe, EditorPan-African News Wire

BENTON HARBOR, MI, 14 May (PANW)--Today's sentencing hearing at the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph's, Michigan, located in the southwest region of the state, for Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers'leader, Rev. Edward Pinkney, resulted in the activist being given five years probation for his conviction on five counts of felonious and misdemeanor fraud.

Pinkney, who was allowed to walk free from the courtroom after the hearing, faced the potential of up to twenty years in prison.

The charges brought against Pinkney derived from a sucessful recall election in 2005, when Glenn Yarbrough, a Benton Harbor City Commissioner, was voted out of office as a result of a political campaign led by BANCO. Supporters of BANCO and Rev. Pinkney believe that the charges were politically motivated because of the activist's outspoken work against officials in Berrien County.

Over 100 supporters of Rev. Pinkney attempted to enter the Berrien County Courtroom for the hearing, however, because of lack of space, dozens were turned away. The people who could not enter the courtroom joined an ongoing picket line outside which called for the release of Pinkney and the overturning of the convictions.

Attorney Hugh Davis emerged from the sentencing hearing saying that presiding Judge Alfred M. Butzbaugh wanted another seven days to decide the final terms of the sentence imposed on Pinkney. The defense team has repeatedly pointed to the numerous constitutional violations against Rev. Pinkney during the process the prosecution and of the jury selection.

All potential African-American jurors were disqualified resulting in Rev. Pinkney being judged by an all-white jury in Berrien County.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The Latino Worker Center (Centro Obrero) opened its doors on May 1, 2006. We did this without funding or a promise of funding from any source. The AFL-CIO and several activists had been meeting for several months prior to this date. It was decided, due to the extreme situation in the Latino community that we could not wait for money or permission to respond.

Following several months of work, English as a Second Language classes, popular education and workplace advocacy, we began to receive funding from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. The AFL-CIO carried us through the summer months with assistance for our rent, health care benefits for the director and much in-kind support. In September, 2006, we were invited to move into the offices of UAW Local 22. We were provided space, phones and utilities free until we received our own funding.

In order to support El Centro, the AFL-CIO borrowed on its credit from HRDI, the non-profit arm which is the fiduciary for Centro Obrero and several other non-profits throughout the state. Consequently, we owe a debt of $15,000.00 to HRDI. This appeal is our first fundraiser to honor this obligation.

Enclosed please find information about our upcoming event on June 1, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. We are selling tickets at $30.00 each. Additionally, we are asking Unions, organizations and individuals to co-sponsor the event. We will note you in the program on the evening of the event and send you tickets for the play.

We hope you will come to see the play, enjoy the ambiance and the good company of those who support Centro Obrero and the wider work of justice.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

How Highland Park residents have struggled with the rising cost of water, shut-offs, and the threat of water privatization.

At 6:30pm on Friday, May 11th at the Highland Park Community High School Auditorium in Highland Park, a documentary film – The Water Front – will be debuted by Canadian filmmaker Liz Miller with the support of the Highland Park Human Rights Coalition and the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization. The 50-minute film details how Highland Park residents are fighting to preserve their basic human right to safe, affordable water. The event will include a reception, updates of what has happened in Highland Park and Detroit over the last year, and the film’s first public screening.

The objective of the event is to celebrate all that has happened so far and start discussing next steps.

In 1917, Henry Ford had a water intake to the Great Lakes basin created for the city of Highland Park in order to support his growing auto industry. Ninety years later residents in this small community, located next to the largest fresh water supply in the world, are being deprived of access to water. Highland Park residents have received water bills as high as $10,000; they have had their water turned off, their homes foreclosed, and their children taken away. The Water Front is the story of how Highland Park residents have fought to maintain a basic human right and to keep their water from being privatized.

What: Premiere of documentary film The Water Front. Dedication to Highland Park “water warriors” Gloria Pogue and Vallory Johnson by local poet and activist Will Copeland. Discussion of film. Update on the Highland Park and Detroit’s ongoing water problems.